Cruse and Associates: Getting to know the company through its website

For an engineering design firm to make a mark online, it’s first and foremost tool to use to reach the millions out there who have not heard of it is through an attractive and interesting website. Not to mention a completely appealing and engaging one.

The way it appears now, the website still needs a lot of work. As in A LOT! First of all, not a single photo is up to show in a split second what the text is talking about. Secondly, minimalism can be restful and pleasing; but in trying to gain readers to stay online, one must not only use photos, animation, color variety but even the counter-intuitive use of negative space. Too much white space with only a small splattering of black-and-white text can be deadening. It may bring out a certain effect; but not when the font is too small against the wilderness of snow.

Another point is that, engineers in general, are well-known as soft-spoken, tacit, uncluttered and even self-deprecating. Those who have been through years of engineering schooling rarely see flamboyance in appearance and character among the lot. Hence, the appearance of Cruse’s website plays tribute to this reputation among engineers. But there is nothing wrong with trying to be different from what you have portrayed yourself to be in life as well as in business.

Cyberspace networking dynamics, however, requires basic visibility standards which require the use of such things already mentioned here. One cannot be a singer without the essential desire to perform in front of people. So, for a company to stand at par with others, whether they are financial consultancy firms, online journalists or sellers of books or shoes, it must present itself beyond the formal black suit and uncolorful tie ensemble. Alright, those will do at times; but at least, use some gold cuff links, two-tone shoes, pastel-colored dress shirt and, perhaps, subtly dyed hair.

Ultimately, appearance counts a lot in Internet visibility. SEOs can do a lot to help a firm gain that in a matter of time. But the time could be greatly shortened through the use of certain website design features already mentioned, and many more out there. It reminds us of the traditional conflict between engineers and architects: the former being more concerned with strength and stability while the latter with aesthetics or appearances.

Being an engineering firm, Cruse may not have the obligation to appear like an architectural firm. But great strides can be gained if they could show that aside from inner integrity, it also has outer appeal and beauty.